1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method of reconstituting meat from trims of fish, poultry, pork, veal or the like. In particular, the present method enables meat to be reconstituted while still in a frozen state.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods have been devised to reconstitute meat into logs with various cross-sectional shapes, such as round or square, from trims or scrap pieces of beef, veal, pork, fish, poultry or the like for maximizing recovery of meat products therefrom. One known method of reconstituting meat makes use of binding agents for holding pieces of trims together so that the reconstituted meat does not fall apart during cooking. The known method includes the steps of coating fresh, i.e. not previously frozen, trims with a commercially available binding agent or binder, packing the trims in a mold, then allowing the binding agent to cure at about 35.degree. F. for one hour. An example of a commercially available binder contains 0.5% trans-glutaminase, 2.5% sodium polyphosphate, 2.5% anhydrous sodium pyrophosphate, 2.0% sillicon dioxide, and 92.5% casein. Another example of a binding agent contains 75.0% protein (from milk and/or egg) and 25.0% calcium chloride and/or sodium chloride.
However, the conventional binding agents added to the reconstituted meat are "chemicals" that many consumers deem undesirable for consumption. In addition, the binding agent sometimes gives the reconstitute meat an "unnatural" resiliency or flavor. Thus, adding binding agents decreases the marketability of the reconstituted meat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,598 ('598 patent) discloses methods of reconstituting meat absent conventional binding agents. The patent teaches the uses of the "purge", i.e. the natural fluid released from ruptured cells of a previously frozen animal tissue when defrosted, which typically collects on the outer surface of the defrosted meat, to substitute for the conventional binding agent. The "purge" contains an adequate amount of cellular protein, which functions as a "glue" by, for example, becoming denatured and cross-linked and gelatinous and forms an adhesive or cohesive bond between adjoining trims such that the meat trims are joined, adhered or otherwise held together. Through the methods described in the '598 patent, the reconstituted meat stays together even under cooking conditions.
While the methods disclosed in the '598 patent make the use of conventional binding agents unnecessary, they require the meat trims to be first frozen and then defrosted to produce an adequate amount of "purge". Once the meat trims are defrosted, they have to be frozen again for storage.
The disadvantages of the methods taught by the '598 patent are many-fold. First, the "purge" is produced through a freeze-defrost cycle, that is likely to cause damage to a large number of cells, thereby affecting the qualities of the meat such as, for example, appearance, taste, resiliency and aroma. Second, during the freeze-defrost cycle, temperature must be raised above the freezing point of the "purge" to produce the "purge". Since the higher the temperature is, the more bacteria will grow, raising temperature thus reduces freshness or tastiness of the meat. Third, it takes a relatively long time for the frozen meat to be defrosted. Fourth, the additional freezing step after defrosting not only causes further degradation of the meat, but also requires extra time and labor during manufacturing thereby increasing production cost.
Thus, it is desirable to reconstitute meat products through a simple and convenient process that minimizes the damage of the cells and preserves the freshness of the meat products.